Russian men evading mobilization orders will not be granted humanitarian visas, according to Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky.
While understanding their intentions, Lipavsky told the Czech news outlet Novinky. cz that such situations did not fit the requirements for a humanitarian visa.
The Czech Republic joins other countries such as Latvia which has said it will not provide sanctuary to Russians seeking to avoid the draft on humanitarian grounds. Germany, on the other hand, says it will do so.
The Czech Foreign Ministry has also confirmed it has written to two NHL teams to say Prague would not issue visas to Russian ice hockey players wishing to travel to the Czech capital to take part in the NHL’s Global Series games.
Prague will host two matches between the San Jose Sharks and the Nashville Predators, both of which have Russian players, on 7 and 8 October.